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NYS Division of Human Rights

Deputy Counsel

NYS Division of Human Rights, Buffalo, New York, United States, 14266


Minimum Qualifications

Law degree from an accredited law school; admission to, and member in good standing of, the New York State Bar; and seven years of relevant post-bar experience.Duties Description

Reporting directly to the General Counsel within the New York State Division of Human Rights (DHR), the Deputy Counsel will oversee various Office of General Counsel Units such as Legal Advisory & Legislation Unit, Policy Unit, Appeals & Litigation Unit, and Records Management & Access Unit. Duties include, but are not limited to:Develop, review and approve agency regulations and policy;Provide direct support, guidance, expertise, and legal advice to the General Counsel, Executive Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner of the Division;Oversee operations of various programs and units within the Office of General Counsel, which consists of teams of Associate Counsels, Assistant Counsels, and clerical and paraprofessional staff;Advise the General Counsel, Executive Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner on various laws, rules, and regulations, as well as statutory matters pursuant to New York State Human Rights Law;Manage portfolio of litigation, involving defense of state agency in lawsuits in state and federal court. Conduct legal research, develop strategies for use in the preparation of briefs and presenting oral argument at judicial proceedings;Request and facilitate representation of the agency by the Attorney General’s Office, where appropriate and assist in development of strategies in marshalling and presenting evidence and preparing legal memoranda in support of the agency;Prepare and present legal cases for which there is little precedent or may have a major impact on the Division of Human Rights;Develop, review and recommend to the General Counsel changes to existing legislation; recommend the creation of new statutes, rules and/or policies in the furtherance of the agency’s goals and objectives;Implement new legal initiatives or modifies existing legal programs as necessary in order to carry out pertinent aspects of the Division’s mission;Draft regulations, rules, legal documents and agreements necessary for the operation of the Division of Human Rights;Analyze legal issues, prepare briefs, search statutes, decisions, opinions and other sources for use in the preparation of briefs and presenting oral argument at judicial proceedings;Conduct research and analysis on policy positions of the Division, which may include research on legislation, declaratory rulings, opinions and other assorted and diverse matters;Discuss proposed and new legislation, court decisions and administrative decrees that affect the Division’s operations with agency policy makers and provides legal advice and counsel as the potential impact or required changes to existing policies and procedures.Additional Comments

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via e-mail at Info@goer.ny.gov.

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